Wood is a dynamic component of river ecosystems, but wood incorporated into restoration projects is often stabilized while sites adjust to new conditions. Understanding the stability of wood added to restoration projects is critical for design and project performance.

This session features Michael Rafferty, creator of the Computational Design Tool for Evaluating the Stability of Large Wood Structures. The Excel-based tool uses engineering equations to calculate a wood structure's resistance to hydraulic forces within a factor of safety. Michael provides an overview of the tool's underlying theory, applications, and key assumptions, offering practical insights into evaluating large wood stability in restoration projects.